Advent
Reflections at CCCI
(3rd Floor, 21 Ormeau Avenue, Belfast)
Wednesdays:
3rd, 10th & 17th December
This
is an opportunity to reflect on and discuss the coming
of Christ into the world. Come at the beginning of the
day at 8.00am or at lunchtime, 1.00pm.
We will
provide tea & coffee, so if you are coming at lunchtime
feel free to bring your lunch.
“It
is the Son, who is close to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.”
Elaine Storkey
Union
Theological College, 108 Botanic Ave, Belfast
Tuesday, 14th October 2008, 8pm
With all the doom and
gloom around global recession, where is the good news?
In recent years CCCI has been involved in reflecting
how our faith engages with and affects society as a
whole. We are called to courageous investment in our
society and this must have economic implications.
As we struggle with rising fuel prices and falling house
prices, the developing world struggles with soaring
food prices.
What difference does faith make to our economic decisions?
Elaine
Storkey DD (Oxon), PhD, is a philosopher, sociologist
and theologian, known internationally for her lecturing,
writing and broadcasting. She has been Director of London
Institute of Contemporary Christianity and Senior Research
Fellow at Wycliffe Hall. Currently she is President
of Tearfund, Chair of Fulcrum, a Church of England think-tank
and is involved in monitoring aid, relief and advocacy
work in countries of the Global South. Elaine has experience
of wrestling with issues of faith, economics and justice.
This lecture
is hosted by Centre for Contemporary Christianity in
Ireland and Tearfund
This occasional
lecture series was named in honour of Sir Fred Catherwood,
an Ulsterman, and senior industrialist, adviser on industry
to the British government, MEP and former vice President
of the European Parliament. Among his many roles he
made a significant contribution to constructive politics
in Northern Ireland and acted as an interlocutor between
the British government and Unionism after the Anglo
Irish Agreement of 1985.
In this lecture we aim to address issues of public theology,
where faith and Christian teaching impact on matters
of the public square and public policy. Previous speakers
have included, Sir Fred, Michael Schluter, Duncan Forester,
Mark Greene, David Smith and Os Guinnes and Donald Shriver.
Saturday 3 November, 2007
Belfast Bible College, 9.30am to 4pm
DIVIDED
PAST - SHARED FUTURE
Churches addressing the legacy of the troubles
In May 2007 Northern Ireland’s political
leaders took major steps towards the final
settlement of nearly 40 years of communal
conflict. Over the coming months, the Programme
for Government will give us an understanding
of their policy for the future. Yet amongst
the economic and social policies will there
be a commitment to the vision of a shared
future?
Such a vision
requires an honest conversation about the
nature of our diverse society and how we
learn to live with our deepest differences.
But can we conduct honest conversations
about the future if we cannot talk about
the legacy of our divided past? How can
we ensure the past is not repeated as we
take up the challenge of a shared future?
What role do the churches have in addressing
the legacy of the troubles and how can Christian
faith enable and equip us to bring healing
to the wounds of history?
This year
our annual day conference seeks to explore
some of these questions. These are questions
at the heart of Christians being good news
to our society at a critical moment in its
struggle to be at peace.
Keynote Speaker: Nigel Biggar, recently appointed
Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology
at Oxford University and editor of Burying
the Past: Making Peace and Doing Justice
after Civil Conflict.
Workshop
speakers: John Dunlop, retired Presbyterian
Minister and President of CCCI Geraldine Smyth, Dominican sister
and Lecturer at the Irish School of Ecumenics,
Trinity College, Dublin. Kate Turner, Project Co-ordinator,
Healing Through Remembering
Christian
Faith and Civic Courage
Donald Shriver
Malone House, Barnett Demesne, Belfast
Thursday, 18th October 2007, 8pm
The earliest Christians
gave public witness to their faith in the risen
Jesus – often at risk to their lives. Without
their witness, almost everything about Jesus of
Nazareth would have been lost to public knowledge.
Always, in the history of culture, some people
have an interest in forgetting, others an interest
in remembering, a painful past. The latter are
most often the folk who have suffered unjustly
at the hands of the former. In the name of justice
and truth, Christians and others have a responsibility
to remember buried truth about historical injustice.
This lecture will
illustrate the courage and persistence of individuals
and groups in contemporary Germany and the United
States who have uncovered the dark sides of their
national pasts and have brought those pasts into
widespread public acknowledgment and will ask
if, in any way, they have pertinence to contemporary
Ireland, both north and south.
Donald
W. Shriver, Jr. is Emeritus President of the Faculty
and William E. Dodge Professor of Applied Christianity
at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He
was ordained to the Presbyterian ministry in 1955
and his illustrious career includes: a Ph.D in
Religion and Society; six honorary doctoral degrees
and posts as a research professor and Professor
of Ethics.
In addition to some hundred articles, he has written
thirteen books. His most recent work is on human
rights and national and international restorative
justice. He has also written extensive analyses
of national coping with “negative histories”,
e.g. the Holocaust, slavery, apartheid and war
crimes in Germany, South Africa, Japan and USA.
This
lecture by Donald Shriver is made possible by:
The UNESCO Centre, University of Ulster; NICRC;
and the Understanding Conflict Trust
This
occasional lecture series was named in honour
of Sir Fred Catherwood, an Ulsterman, and senior
industrialist, adviser on industry to the British
government, MEP and former vice President of the
European Parliament. Among his many roles he made
a significant contribution to constructive politics
in Northern Ireland and acted as an interlocutor
between the British government and Unionism after
the Anglo Irish Agreement of 1985.
In this lecture we aim to address issues of public
theology, where faith and Christian teaching impact
on matters of the public square and public policy.
Previous speakers have included, Sir Fred, Michael
Schluter, Duncan Forester, Mark Greene, David
Smith and Os Guinnes.
An event
not to miss! We are pleased to announce that the
Centre for Contemporary Christianity in Ireland's
annual Christmas fundraising concert will this
year take the theme 'A Celtic Christmas - A Celebration
of Christmas music and reflections from across
these islands'.
The concert
will be held at St. Brigid's Church, Derryvolgie
Avenue, Malone Road, Belfast on Tuesday 5th December
at 7.45 and will include music from Grosvenor
Chorale, traditional Celtic Christian prayers,
reflections on Advent and traditional musicians
from the Irish and Ulster Scots traditions.
St. Brigid's
is a beautiful, modern church which has won a
number of major architectural awards, the interior
features liturgical elements designed by leading
artists and sculptors from throughout Ireland.
Parking is available at the church and there is
easy access for people with disabilities.
Ticket
prices are £12.00 and £6.00 for unwaged,
students and senior citizens. Under 16's free.
The price includes refreshments in St. Brigid's
church halls after the event.
We
have invited Dr Marva Dawn to take part in a series
of events as part of our Annual Conference, during
the first weekend in November
Marva
is Teaching Fellow in Spiritual Theology at Regent
College, Vancouver. She has taught at leadership
and worship conferences throughout the world and
is a respected theologian, author, musician and
educator. She is a scholar with four Masters degrees
and a Ph.D. in Christian Ethics and the Scriptures.
Marva is also recognised and highly appreciated
as a preacher and speaker for all ages. Her 2001
book entitled Powers, Weakness, and the Tabernacling
of God was honoured with the 2002 Christianity
Today Book Award in the category of The Church/Pastoral
Leadership. She is the author of more than fifteen
books.
From
Here to Eternity Christian
Spirituality for a Changing World
Two
seminars for leaders
The
aim of the event is to help leaders rethink
the mission of the church in a changing
world and will critique our temptation to
be shaped by contemporary secular culture
rather than an authentic Christianity.
We
have invited a broad range of speakers to
help us consider the kind of vision, vitality,
disciplines and practice the church needs
in order to sustain our vocation in a changing
world. In particular we welcome Dr Marva
J Dawn, Fellow in Spiritual Theology at
Regent College, Vancouver, who will be our
keynote speaker.
Sunday,
5 November
10.00am
6.30pm
Marva
Dawn will be preaching at the following
church services:
A
Journey of Faith in a Changing Ireland A one-day consultation
for Christian leaders
The day is designed to help leaders explore
the nature of change to the social and culture
climate of Ireland and to consider the kind
of leadership needed if the church is to
engage with vision and compassion. In particular,
we want to discuss how we equip both leaders
and congregations for the challenges of
a changing context.
Our
day will be informal and interactive with
opportunities to integrate the insights
and experiences of participants. To provide
structure and guidance for our time we have
invited Dr Marva J Dawn from Regent College,
Vancouver and Dr Joe McDonagh from Trinity
College, Dublin. The programme below will
give you a feel for the format.
Residential
Summer School
Listening
Post Rediscovering God, ourselves and the world
Elaine
Storkey DD (Oxon), PhD, is a philosopher, sociologist
and theologian, known internationally for her lecturing,
writing and broadcasting. She has been Director of London
Institute of Contemporary Christianity and Senior Research
Fellow at Wycliffe Hall. Currently she is President
of Tearfund, Chair of Fulcrum, a Church of England think-tank
and is involved in monitoring aid, relief and advocacy
work in countries of the Global South. Elaine has experience
of wrestling with issues of faith, economics and justice.
Donald
W. Shriver, Jr. is Emeritus President of the Faculty
and William E. Dodge Professor of Applied Christianity
at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He
was ordained to the Presbyterian ministry in 1955
and his illustrious career includes: a Ph.D in
Religion and Society; six honorary doctoral degrees
and posts as a research professor and Professor
of Ethics.
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